elc team
Rediscover the legendary world of Ancient Mythology through the stories of its women.
In this beautifully illustrated and boldly feminist retelling, classicist Mara Gold revisits the myths that have shaped our understanding of womanhood for centuries, offering a fresh perspective on figures who have long been confined to archetypes.
Perfect for readers who loved Mythos, Circe, Pandora and Clytemnestra, this striking book brings to life the complex female voices hidden within ancient myth.
As bestselling author Emily Hauser writes, the book “uncovers not only what women are doing in myth, but why they still matter today.”
Homemaker. Virgin. Warrior. Witch. Madwoman. Monster.
These labels, so often attached to women in myth, echo across history. Created in the ancient world, these archetypes continue to shape cultural narratives about women even today.
Through the stories of the virgin goddesses Athena and Artemis, the contrasting portrayals of marital duty embodied by Clytemnestra and Penelope, the ecstatic rituals of the Maenads, and figures such as Echidna and the misunderstood Medusa, Ancient Myths and Legends Without Men reveals a mythological world in which powerful women were both revered and feared.
Accompanied by rich illustrations throughout, the book invites readers to rediscover these legendary figures not simply as symbols, but as complex characters whose stories still resonate today.
By revisiting these ancient narratives, Mara Gold opens a new conversation about how mythology has shaped our perceptions of women and what these enduring stories can still teach us about power, identity and female experience.
A journey through goddesses, warriors, witches and monsters who, from the very beginning, both defined and challenged the idea of womanhood.
